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Premier Ford Defends Ontario's Back to School Plan

Premier Doug Ford defends his Government's back to school plan for September saying Ontario has the best plan in the country.

ONTARIO - Premier Doug Ford is defending his Government's back to school plan for September.

The Premier was asked today if the Government would consider cutting class sizes down before September. Some experts have said the class sizes should be capped at 15 students. The Ontario plan currently calls for classrooms to be capped at 30 students for Kindergarten and that is with an ECE and a teacher. Grades 1-3 are capped at 20, grades 4-8 are capped at 24 and 9-12 is 23. 

Premier Doug Ford says we have the lowest cohorts in the entire country at 15. 

"We have more guidelines in place than anywhere in the entire country. As I said yesterday, as much as yes, we rely on consulting with Sick Kids Hospital and Public Health and the Health Table, at the end of the day, I am responsible. Going into September, talk about losing sleep, that is my number one priority is to protect the kids and I will do whatever it takes to protect the kids."

Ford says we have the best plan in the Country. 

"I saw an article, which was very interesting, parents in BC were touting Ontario's plan, saying we want Ontario's plan. We have put in more guidelines, more consultations with scientists, health care, you name it but at the end of the day, I am responsible. I am a little biased but I personally think we have the best plan in the entire country. We have two options here, either you send your kids back to school and get back to normal or at least the new normal or we keep the kids home and do online learning."

Ford says parents want their kids to go back to school and the Province is investing more money than anywhere else in the Country.

"School reopening, $309 million, we are putting more money per student than anywhere in the entire country, bar none. PPE, $60 million dollars, additional staffing $80 million dollars, cleaning supplies $25 million, 500 and this is so important and this is the best, that you don't see anywhere else in the country, 500 new public nurses at $50 million dollars and then $10 million dollars for kids with special needs."

Ford says he understands the plan isn't going to be perfect and he wouldn't rule out spending more money to keep our kids safe this September. 

Ford also wouldn't rule out allowing students to have smart phones at school again, so they can have download and used the COVID Alert contact tracing app. 

You can listen to his comments on Education below:

 

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